Seahawks punter Jon Ryan makes longshot for love

By ROB VANSTONE, REGINA (SASKATCHEWAN) LEADER-POST

Updated 3:06 pm, Saturday, January 17, 2015

Photo: Tom Gannam, AP

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Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan walks to the sideline after St. Louis Rams' Stedman Bailey ran a punt back 90 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, in St. Louis. less

Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan walks to the sideline after St. Louis Rams' Stedman Bailey ran a punt back 90 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, in ... more

Photo: Tom Gannam, AP

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Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan kicks the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, in Seattle.

Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan kicks the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, in Seattle.

Photo: Elaine Thompson, AP

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GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 17: Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks punts the ball against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on October 17, 2013 in Glendale, Arizona.

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 17: Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks punts the ball against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on October 17, 2013 in Glendale, Arizona.

Photo: Norm Hall, Getty Images

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SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Punter Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks gets off a 45-yard kick after bobbling the ball and coming under pressure by linebacker Corey Lemonier #96 of the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter on November 27, 2014 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers turned the ball over on the return and the Seahawks won 19-3. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jon Ryan;Corey Lemonier less

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Punter Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks gets off a 45-yard kick after bobbling the ball and coming under pressure by linebacker Corey Lemonier #96 of the San Francisco 49ers ... more

Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan gets off a punt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, in Seattle.

Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan gets off a punt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, in Seattle.

Photo: Scott Eklund, AP

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LANDOVER - OCTOBER 6:
Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan (9) runs the ball for five yards after a fake punt on a 4th and 1 play during the fourth quarter of the game between the Washington Redskins and the Seattle Seahawks at FedEx Field on Monday, October 6, 2014. less

LANDOVER - OCTOBER 6:
Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan (9) runs the ball for five yards after a fake punt on a 4th and 1 play during the fourth quarter of the game between the Washington Redskins and the ... more

Photo: Toni L. Sandys, The Washington Post

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - FEBRUARY 02: Punter Jon Ryan #9 and kicker Steven Hauschka #4 of the Seattle Seahawks show camaraderie in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium on February 2, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. less

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - FEBRUARY 02: Punter Jon Ryan #9 and kicker Steven Hauschka #4 of the Seattle Seahawks show camaraderie in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife ... more

Photo: Ronald Martinez, Getty Images

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Seattle Seahawks holder Jon Ryan takes a snap during warmups before an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, in Seattle.

Seattle Seahawks holder Jon Ryan takes a snap during warmups before an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, in Seattle.

Photo: Elaine Thompson, AP

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HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 29: Steven Hauschka #4 and Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrate after Hauschka hit a 45 yard field goal in overtime to defeat the Houston Texans 23-20 at Reliant Stadium on September 29, 2013 in Houston, Texas. less

HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 29: Steven Hauschka #4 and Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrate after Hauschka hit a 45 yard field goal in overtime to defeat the Houston Texans 23-20 at Reliant Stadium on ... more

Photo: Scott Halleran, Getty Images

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SEATTLE, WA - MAY 01: Punter Jon Ryan of the Seattle Seahawks, throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles at Safeco Field on May 1, 2013 in Seattle, Washington. less

SEATTLE, WA - MAY 01: Punter Jon Ryan of the Seattle Seahawks, throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles at Safeco Field on May 1, 2013 in ... more

Photo: Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images

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TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 16: Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before playing an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills at Rogers Centre on December 16, 2012 in Toronto, Canada.

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 16: Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before playing an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills at Rogers Centre on December 16, 2012 in Toronto, Canada.

Photo: Tom Szczerbowski, Getty Images

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 09: Punter Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks during the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 9, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. The Carindals defeated the Seahawks 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jon Ryan less

GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 09: Punter Jon Ryan #9 of the Seattle Seahawks during the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 9, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. ... more

Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

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Seahawks punter Jon Ryan makes longshot for love

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Jon Ryan is ready for a return engagement in the NFC final — having set the wheels in motion for his own engagement as last year's conference championship game loomed.

In January of 2014, the Regina, Saskatchewan-born Seattle Seahawks punter bumped into Ross Mathews, who has appeared on the Chelsea Lately television show. Being that Ryan had a crush on comedian-author Sarah Colonna, who was a regular on Chelsea Lately, he approached Mathews at CenturyLink Field before the Seahawks opposed the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

"I just went up to him and told him I was a fan of his work and asked if he wouldn't mind putting in a good word with Sarah Colonna for me and I told him I'd appreciate that,'' Ryan recalls.

"I kind of tweeted the same thing a couple of days later. Somehow, from there, her and I just started talking and it kind of went from there.''

Ryan and Colonna exchanged direct messages via Twitter in the days leading up to the 2014 Super Bowl, in which the Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8.

While celebrating his first NFL championship, Ryan was also developing a rapport with Colonna while exchanging text messages. After about a month of long-distance communication, Ryan travelled to Los Angeles and took Colonna on a date.

"It was kind of love at first sight,'' the 33-year-old Ryan says. "It was instant chemistry.''

The relationship quickly flourished, to the point where Ryan proposed on Dec. 28 — one day before Colonna's 40th birthday.

The engagement attracted widespread media attention, with People magazine reporting the news and applying the "exclusive" label.

"I think stuff like that is just fun,'' Ryan says. "I don't think it's really that big of a deal.

"The two of us think it's a little bit funny but, at the same time, a little bit ridiculous that anyone would care that much about our engagement to put it in a tabloid. At the end of the day, it's just her and I. The stuff that happens outside of that is just fun.''

Having just purchased an engagement ring, Ryan is now hoping to add to his own jewelry collection.

He would love to earn another Super Bowl ring, although he isn't looking beyond Sunday's NFC championship game against the visiting Green Bay Packers.

Ryan's immediate goal is to savor Sunday's experience, because games of such magnitude never lose their novelty even when the routine is familiar.

"For me, the novelty has never worn off for any game,'' he says. "Literally, just a half-hour ago I was talking to the coach about how much I love playing preseason games because I love playing at night. For me, every game is pretty special. I don't think it will ever wear off.

"This being the NFC championship game is, for us, really no different than any other game. Pete (Carroll) has us so consistent in our preparation in what we do from day to day that we prepare no differently for this game than we would for a Week 5 game or a preseason game.

"We really do prepare the same. We're in that mindset where it is just another game, just like all the other ones.''

Ryan applies that mindset even though the Seahawks are poised to oppose the team with which he began his NFL career in 2006. He spent two years with the Packers before being surprisingly released following the 2007 preseason.

With that in mind, is there any additional significance to playing against Green Bay with a Super Bowl berth at stake?

"I think maybe a little bit,'' Ryan says. "It's still there. It's still going to be that little chip on my shoulder and it'll still be in the back of my head that they're the team that cut me. In the back of your head, you kind of think that they did you wrong and you want to maybe get a little bit of revenge.

"But in the seven years (in Seattle), I've been very fortunate and I've been able to be here for a long time now. I've achieved a lot and gone to the Super Bowl and now, to go back and play the Green Bay Packers, there's really only about three or four guys left on that team from when I was there and there's a few of the same coaches. Vengeance, or whatever, that's not really on my mind.''

Instead, Ryan appreciates the opportunities given to him by the Packers and Seahawks, and considers himself fortunate to have enjoyed a lengthy and successful NFL career — taking the unconventional route from Regina, Saskatchewan, to pro football's biggest stage.

Along the way, Ryan has overcome formidable odds.

"That's kind of how I've approached everything in my life,'' Ryan reflects. "Everything has been a bit of a longshot, but whenever I see something that I want or if I want something in my life — whether it's making it to the NFL or finding the girl of my dreams — I kind of go after it.

"I kind of live my life through longshots. It has worked out for me.''

Rob Vanstone is sports editor and columnist at the Regina Leager-Post. You can reach Vanstone at rvanstone@leaderpost.com.